Kite construction



Dec. 15, 1964 UMANOFF 3,161,386

KITE CONSTRUCTION Filed Oct. 25, 1963 United States Patent Office 3,161,386 KITE CONSTRUTEON Martin Umanofi, New York, N.Y., assignor to Pressman Toy (Iorporation, New York, N.Y. Filed Oct. 25, 1963, Ser. No. 313,899 1 Claim. (til. 244-153) This invention relates generally to the field of toys, and more particularly to an improved kite capable of rapid assembly, and including features which eliminate the ne cessity of puncturing the diaphanous member at the time of attachment of the same to the cross sticks, or upon the attachment of the bow and bridle strings.

In. prior art construction, the diaphanous member has been secured to the ends of the cross sticks by glue, tape, strings, and the like. Owing to the fact that no means was provided on the ends of the cross sticks for the securing of the bow and bridle strings, attachment of the latter, and in some cases the former, required the making of a hole or opening in the diaphanous member in order to secure the same to the cross sticks at points intermediate the ends thereof. This operation, of course, has the eifect of weakening the diaphanous member, and subjecting the same to the possibility of tearing during use.

It is therefore among the principal objects of the present invention to provide an improved kite construction in which the assembly thereof does not require the penetration of or damage to the diaphanous member, and in which the diaphanous member is interconnected to the cross sticks by means of novel clip constiuction which incidentallly provides anchoring means for attaching the bow and bridle strings.

Another object of the invention lies in the provision of improved kite construction in which novel components thereof may be fabricated at a very low cost, thereby permitting consequent wide sale, distribution and use.

Another object of the invention lies in the provisions of novel knite construction in which the diaphanous member thereof is formed of transparent synthetic resinous material, and has imprinted thereon a pigmented or otherwise colored image which at least partially overlies the cross sticks or other rigidifying structure, so that when viewed against the background of the sky, the diaphanous member may be substantially invisible except for the image carried thereby.

Yet another object of the invention lies in the provision of improved kite construction which may be conveniently assembled by those possessed of only ordinary skill, and without resort to any special tools.

A feature of the invention lies in the fact that the tail piece may be attached without resort to a tying operation.

These objects and features, as well as other incidental ends and advantages, will more fully appear in the progress of the following disclosure, and be pointed out in the appended claim.

In the drawing, to which reference will be made in the specification, similar reference characters have been employed to designate corresponding parts throughout the several views.

FIGURE 1 is an exploded view in perspective of an embodiment of the invention.

FIGURE 2 is an enlarged fragmentary view in perspective corresponding to the right-hand portion of FIG- URE 1.

FIGURE 3 is a view in perspective showing the assembly of certain clip structure comprising a part of the embodiment.

FIGURE 4 is an enlarged view in perspective showing the clip structure.

FIGURE 5 is a second enlarged view in perspective of airless Patented Dec. 15,1964

the clip structure, showin the sides opposite that seen in FIGURE 4.

In accordance with the invention, the device, generally indicated by reference character 10, comprises broadly: a diaphanous element 11, cross sticks 12 and 13, and a plurality of clip elements 14.

The diaphanous element 11 may be formed of any suitable translucent, and preferably transparent, synthetic resinous material, such as rubber hydrochloride, thin polystyrene, polyvinyl chloride, and the like. As in the traditional form of kite construction, it is bounded by a pair of front or leading edges 17 and 18, rear or trailing edges 19 and 2t), and four points of attachment 21, 22, .23 and 24, whereby the same are attached to the cross sticks 12 and 13. The element 11 also includes an upper surface 25, and a lower surface 26 which bears a pigmerited or dyed image 27 of any desired configuration, and preferably shaped so as to at least partially, if not entirely, overlie the cross sticks 12 and 13 when the device is assembled.

The cross sticks 12 and 13 are essentially similar, although the. latter is somewhat longer, and, where desired, may be formed of translucent or transparent material, although wood is also suitable. The cross stick 12 includes first and second ends 31 and 32, respectively, and is preferably of rectangular cross section, as best seen in FIGURE 2. The cross stick 1?, being slightly longer, includes first and second ends 34 and 35, respectively.

The clip elements 14 are substantially similar, and accordingly a detailed description of one of such clip elements will serve to describe all. The clip elements are most conveniently formed as synthetic resinous moldings, and include a tapered tubular portion formed by first, second, third and fourth generally trapezoidallyshaped walls, 36, 37, 3d and 39 respectively, which form a tapered bore 43 of rectangular cross section. Extending laterally from the wall 39 is a flange 44 having a through bore 45 through which a string may be looped, as will more fully appear hereinafter.

Assembly of the kite requires only the abutting of the points 21-24 with the ends 31-32 and 3435 of the cross sticks 12 and 13, respectively, following which the larger ends of the clip elements 14 are engaged as shown in FIG- URE 2. As the taper of the bore 45 is relatively gradual, only a light pressure is required to firmly seat the clip on the end of its respective cross stick, and to grip the engaged portion of the diaphanous element therebetween. The tail piece 46 is attached in a similar manner on the end 35 to a flange 44.

With reference to FIGURE 3 in the drawing, the bow line 47 may then be attached as shown, looping the ends of the same through the bores 45 in the clip elements 14 attached to the ends 31 and 32, and the bridle line 48 is then secured in a similar manner to the clip elements 14 disposed on the ends 34 and 35 of the cross stick 13.

When the kite is flown, particularly at relatively high altitudes, the transparent or translucent areas of the diaphanous element ill will appear to be relatively invisible to the viewer on the ground, whereas the pigmented image 27 will be clearly visible. Where the image is formed using dyes rather than pigments, the image will be translucent, and the total effect will be that of a representation of a flying object, the exact nature of which will depend upon the image 27 displayed.

It may thus be seen that I have invented novel and highly useful improvements in kite construction, "in which the assembly of the device is greatly facilitated so as to permit the same to be accomplished by children of relatively tender years, without resort to tools, and with only the necessity of forming a few knots to secure easily threaded loops. In the assembly of the device, it is not necessary to pierce the diaphanous member in any way, wherein the same would be subsequently weakened, to be torn during use. By means of readily fabricated clip elements, the heretofore difficult operations have been materially simplified, and the diaphanous elements may be interconnected with the cross sticks without risk of tearing the same.

Where the diaphanous element is formed of transparent or translucent synthetic resinous material, a pigmented or dyed image may be placed upon the same in such manner as to overlie the cross sticks, wherein the major portions of the kite appear invisible when the same is flow at substantial heights, and only the image upon the diaphanous element will be clearly visible.

I wish it to be understood that I do not consider the invention limited to the precise details of structure shown and set forth in this specification, for obvious modifications will occur to those skilled in the art to which the invention pertains.

I claim:

In a kit construction including first and second cross sticks and a diaphanous element secured to the ends of said cross sticks at peripheral areas thereof, the improvement comprising: a plurality of clamping means for interconnecting said diaphanous element to said cross sticks, each of said clamping means including a tubular portion having a hollow tapered bore therein, a portion of which is sufficiently constricted to frictionally maintain a portion of the diaphanous member upon an end of a respective cross stick, and a flange member, the plane of which extends laterally with respect to the axis of said bore, said flange having stringengaging means thereon.

References Cited by the Examiner UNITED STATES PATENTS 176,721 4/ 76 \Vhitcomb 244-153 919,436 4/09 Jackson 244-153 1,821,465 9/31 Dysert 244-153 2,296,174 9/42 Meisler 43-24 2,878,608 3/59 OBrien 43-24 2,969,946 1 61 Andrews 244-154 3,076,626 2/63 Andrews 244-154 FERGUS S. MIDDLETON, Primary Examiner. 

